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Business Operations

Smoke billows behind a St. Matthew's Parish School campus building, partially obscured by large trees under a clear blue sky.
  • Crisis Management
  • | Facilities
  • | Risk Management

Pivoting the Business Office During a Crisis This item is protected.

After the Palisades Fire destroyed much of their campus, a paperless business office with remote office practices was critical in maintaining business operations and ensuring continuity.
4 min read
resized chalk image

Business Intelligence  

  • Debt
  • | Key Facilities

Plant Debt and Independent School Finances This item is protected.

Smaller schools are more likely than larger schools to have plant debt greater than their unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets.
4 min read

Feature  

  • Risk Management
  • | Safety and Security

Safe and Culturally Sound This item is protected.

Beefing up school security can raise hackles. Two schools found ways to improve protocols without rocking school culture.
11 min read
A Kinkaid School student using AI on their school laptop

Strategies  

  • Risk Management
  • | Technology

7 Steps to AI Integration This item is protected.

An approach that balances access and oversight has helped The Kinkaid School experiment in both the classroom and operations.
7 min read
Los Angeles Fire

Feature  

  • Crisis Management
  • | Facilities
  • | Risk Management

Trial by Fire: Best Practices This item is protected.

Independent school leaders evaluated, evacuated and evolved their approach to educational operations through the fury of this year’s L.A. area fires.
14 min read
Los Angeles Fire

Feature  

  • Crisis Management
  • | Risk Management
  • | Safety and Security

Trial by Fire: School Leaders' Stories This item is protected.

Independent school leaders evaluated, evacuated and evolved their approach to educational operations through the fury of this year’s L.A. area fires.
11 min read
Stock image of a home model miniature sitting on top of an open book

Voices from the Field  

  • Change Management
  • | Facilities
  • | Leadership

A New Chapter for Facilities Management

The new CEO of APPA — Leadership in Educational Facilities and the board’s vice chair weigh in on top facilities concerns in independent schools today.
8 min read
Woodward Academy van driver smiling while wearing a Woodward hat

Strategies  

  • Employment
  • | Facilities
  • | Hiring

Tapping the Gig Economy to Fill Labor Gaps This item is protected.

Staffing shortages in dining, custodial and grounds work led Woodward Academy to try new hiring strategies.
3 min read
EV charging stations or electric vehicle recharging stations with graphic display

Feature  

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • | Facilities
  • | Policy

Back to the Future: Facilities That Think Forward This item is protected.

How schools are staying in the green — and the black — with the latest facilities updates.
13 min read
Projections MJ25

Projections  

  • Budget
  • | Facilities

Transforming Facilities for High Quality Learning

Updating the campus requires investment, but transforming spaces to deliver high-quality learning need not break the bank if you plan strategically.
6 min read
Home Improvement graphic

Feature  

  • Budget
  • | Facilities
  • | Hiring

Home Improvement: Faculty Housing Solutions This item is protected.

When faculty and staff struggle to find housing close to school, creative support may be an order.
13 min read
tax 2025
  • Accounting
  • | Facilities
  • | Tax

2025 Accounting, Audit and Tax Update for Independent Schools This item is protected.

With no new audit standards this season, now is the time to review current accounting guidance and optimize financial strategies.
7 min read
Young Black professional making an announcement against a yellow background.
  • Facilities
  • | Leadership
  • | Maintenance

Giving Facilities a Voice

Effective communication and strategic planning are key for today's facilities leaders.
3 min read
Cheshire Academy

Other Duties As Assigned  

  • Culture
  • | Facilities
  • | Leadership

On the Road: Transitioning to a Boarding School

This business officer has come to treasure his weekend duties, even navigating heavy traffic on airport runs.
4 min read
tech closet
  • Compliance
  • | Cybersecurity

It’s Keeping Me Awake at Night: What International School Tech Directors Are Losing Sleep Over

Data privacy and security remain top concerns for tech directors, with the introduction of AI tools adding complexity to regulatory compliance.
6 min read
Crystal Washington 2

Feature  

  • Change Management
  • | Leadership
  • | Technology

An Ear on the Future: Interview with 2025 NBOA Annual Meeting Speaker Crystal Washington

Organizations that are successfully adopting new technologies find ways to harness staff feedback, says keynote speaker Crystal Washington.
8 min read
Rabbits at Walnut Farms

Other Duties As Assigned  

  • Facilities
  • | Leadership

The Circle of (Estimated, Useful) Life

Nothing teaches adaptability quite like chasing the school’s runaway rabbits, as this business officer discovered.
6 min read
Bancroft School (1)

Other Duties As Assigned  

  • Extended Day
  • | Summer Camp

Revving Up Alternative Revenue This item is protected.

When this communications director took on auxiliary programs, non-tuition revenue increased significantly.
4 min read
vetting ai tools

Voices from the Field  

  • Software
  • | Technology

Favorite AI Tools and How To Vet Them This item is protected.

A sprinkling of generative AI tools that business leaders are using, with advice on adopting them thoughtfully.
7 min read
life bouy

Strategies  

  • Crisis Management
  • | Software
  • | Technology

Early Intervention Strategies for Student Incidents This item is protected.

Proactive monitoring and alert systems on student devices have helped identify issues early.
5 min read